The Surprising Way I Finally Chilled Out (And Saved My Marriage)

I started going to yoga because I wanted to get rid of my muffin top. Everyone else looked so damn good in their skinny jeans, and I wanted that. But I was out of shape. And I loved cupcakes. So I put on the baggy gray sweatpants I often referred to as my "fat pants," drove to the tiny yoga studio near my home and took one of those $5 community classes taught by the studio's teacher trainees.

The hour and 15 minutes passed slowly. I couldn't touch my toes. I thought the teacher's casual invitation to pop up into "crow pose" was ludicrous. But when I slipped into my flip-flops at the end of class, I knew I'd be back. What the hell, I thought to myself. At least it's not Zumba.

It wasn't long before I could touch my toes. Teachers praised me for my "pigeon," flat and low to the ground, and exclaimed over my "crescent lunge." I loved that I could feel myself getting more flexible. And stronger! I started pulling off poses that previously would have landed me flat on my face. I was hooked. That feeling—of accomplishing something that had once upon a time seemed impossible—was exhilarating. I started attending four to six classes a week.

Aside from the thrill I got from feeling like She-Ra, Princess of Power, it was just good to get out of the house. As a full-time freelancer, I often get lonely working from home. I have three cats, but our conversations tend to be one-sided. I have Twitter, but I've heard that doesn't count. My husband, Michael, doesn't arrive home from work until late in the evening. When he eventually walked through the door, I'd invariably try to share ALL THE THINGS about my work day, all at once. But it wasn't really fair to rely on him as my sole social outlet.

1. Dead Bug

This pose doesn't sound sexy by name, but it is by practice! Lie on your back with your tailbone on the floor. Hold the outside edges of your feet with your hands and draw your knees down towards the floor. Gets everything nice and open!

Theresa Polley, host and instructor at Retreat in the Pines yoga retreat says this makes it perfect for hip opening—and other areas, as well. In fact, this pose is often also called Happy Husband!

2. Child Pose (Balasana)

This is fairly easy and can be done in bed or on the floor, you pick! "While kneeling touch your big toes and sit on your heels while separating your knees so that they are hip width apart. Exhale and lay your upper body between your thighs. Lay your hands facing up along side your torso with shoulders relaxed," says Murdock.

Start standing on your knees with your knees hips distance apart. Bring your feet together and send your hips all the way back to your heels. Extend your arms in front of you while you send your hips back.

"Your partner can then enter you from behind and pull your hips back while you stretch your arms forward. This creates a long beautiful back for your partner to admire," says celebrity yoga trainer, Jessica James, creator of the We Heart Yoga prenatal DVD.

3. Downward Facing Dog

This pose is one of the most commonly performed moves in yoga. It's also known as Adho Mukha Svanasana, the pose resembles an upside down letter V.

"Hands should be shoulder-width apart with equal spacing between your fingers. Keeping your feet hips width apart while channeling most of your energy into your hands by pushing the floor away from you while engaging your shoulders and upper body. Avoid arching and rounding of your back to obtain perfect positioning. This can easily be achieved by most and can always be modified until you can get your heels to reach the floor," says fitness expert and founder of Nadia Murdock Fit, Nadia Murdock.

This move is ideal for stand up "fun" vs. your traditional ahem...doggy position.

4. Full Straddle Forward Fold

Begin standing and step your feet apart into a wide standing straddle. Forward fold and bring your hands to the floor for support. If you can't comfortably reach the floor bring your hands to a chair or your bed.

"This can be a nice posture for oral sex as well. Your partner can enter from behind. Experiment with your legs at varying distances. Feet together forward fold can be a fun change too," says James.

5. Chakra Kiss

Have your partner positioned in an easy-seated pose.

"Place yourself on top with your legs wrapped around your partner's torso and your arms wrapped around your partner's shoulders. Start to breath together and visualize your chakras merging, or kissing. Start from your crown chakra and move slowly all the way down to your root chakra," says James. This builds up an enormous amount of intimacy and sexual energy.

7. Reclining Bound Angel

"Lie on your back and surround yourself with pillows, then open your legs in a butterfly position, knees resting on the pillows. Widen your feet so your man can assume missionary position. Get very relaxed, breath, there's a lot of eye contact. This can be a very long lasting pleasurable position that can go on for a while!" says former Playboy Playmate Carrie Minter, Owner & CEO of Carrie Minter's Pilates Plus.

8. Shoulder Stand (Sarvangāsana)

This one is particularly amazing for hitting that spot that blows your mind, says Walsh. You lie down on the bed and he holds onto your legs, lifts your bottom off the bed and puts your ankles on his shoulders.

He's on his knees on the bed, or you can also do it at the edge of the bed with him standing. The angle is amazing for getting the G-spot, Walsh says. You still have a very intimate connection because you're facing one another.

9. Tree Pose

Instead of keeping your foot against your thigh you lift your knee up so that it's as high as you can bring it toward your arm, just keeping it on his side is a nice standing pose where he can hold onto your leg.

Since you're on one leg it requires balance and core strength so that should motivate people to practice tree and other balancing yoga poses, says Jessica Walsh, an instructor at YogiDance. Having him hold you makes it easier for newbies.

"This is a great pose to do in the shower! It's also one of my favorites because it's very intimate and sexy! You get to look at your partner and have your bodies close the whole time. If you like your man's arms around you it's perfect. It's also a great position for breast touching as well, and guys that like having that option. He's holding onto your leg and you can alternate who is in control! It's also a great angle for both people to feel amazing," says Walsh.

10. Wheel Poses

This move is a real game changer and is sure to spice up your bedroom activity. Depending on the strength of the individuals either person can be on the top or bottom, get creative!

Wheel Pose also known as Urdhva dhanurasana can be easily modified for beginners.

"Start by lying on the floor facing up and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your heels close to your sitting bone as much as possible. Next you want to bend your elbows and spread your palms on the floor beside your head. Your forearms are ideally perpendicular to the floor and fingers pointing toward your shoulders. Press your feet into the ground and take 2-3 breaths pushing upward, your tailbone up toward your pubis. Spread your shoulder blades across you back and let your head hang," says Murdock.

This pose doesn't sound sexy by name, but it is by practice! Lie on your back with your tailbone on the floor. Hold the outside edges of your feet with your hands and draw your knees down towards the floor. Gets everything nice and open!

Theresa Polley, host and instructor at Retreat in the Pines yoga retreat says this makes it perfect for hip opening—and other areas, as well. In fact, this pose is often also called Happy Husband!